Karl-Anthony Towns is in it for the long haul with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Towns agree to a 5-year, $190 super max extension that will keep the talented big man in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.
In a deal that cements him as the franchise’s long-term cornerstone, Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed to a 5-year, $190M super-maximum extension, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2018
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Towns has started all 82 games in each of his first three seasons and is the only player in the NBA to start every game over that span. The 22-year old is coming off a season in which he averaged 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, earning Third-team All-NBA honours, the first All-NBA nod of his career. Minnesota also made the playoffs for the first time since 2004, snapping a streak of 13 straight seasons without a playoff appearance, the second-longest streak of its kind in NBA history.
Towns tweeted out a video of highlights over the weekend with a simple message.
“5 More” pic.twitter.com/aBRVJJBvdh
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 23, 2018
As first reported by ESPN, Towns also released a statement over the weekend.
"On June 25, 2015, I was drafted to and committed to the Minnesota Timberwolves. On September 22, 2018, I made a recommitment to the Wolves and have the same feelings of excitement that I felt back in 2015.
I promise to the fans, my teammates and the organization to keep the vision of the man who drafted me, Flip Saunders, alive and treat his dream of winning with respect and dignity. To the fans from Day One and the Timberwolves fans, this is for you. Thank you for believing in me."
The Towns extension comes on the eve of training camp and merely days after teammate Jimmy Butler requested a trade. The Timberwolves open preseason this Saturday at the Warriors. They open the regular season Wednesday, October 17 at San Antonio.
